Associated-switchboard telephone system



B all 3 7 1n [jllll w. s. PACA.

ASSOCIATED SWITCHBOARD TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

` APPLICATION EILED Nov. 19, |917.

1,353,065. PatentedSept. 14, 1920.

a 6R -v V1 Ag Trim *d 02M y v r ml-L 3@ l' l .3Q

1 Y wiazamsuqzw' ENTOR,

BY* A H15 ATTGRNEX UNITED STAT-Esl PATENT .orificaff WILLIAM s. PACA, OE OIL CITY, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoR TO THE STROMBERG- CARLSON TELEPHONE vivIANUEiic'rURINci COMPANY, OE ROCHESTER, NEW` YORK, A- CORPORATION OE NEW YORK.. -1 1 A f l Asso'oIAIEp-swI'rcHEoARn TELEPHONEsYsTEivI." l

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. PAGA, a citizenof the United States, residing at Oil City, in the county of Venango and State o f Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Associated- Switchboard Telephone Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and concise description. j

It has been a common practice in operat: ing telephone switchboards to` divide up the same into sections at each of which is located a multiple jack for each of the telephone lines, and associatedtherewith a signal lamp to indicate a call originating on the associated telephone line. Y 'A In such switchboardsofthe art as have been in common use, the lamps of the different switchboards operate simultaneously upon the initiation of a call by a subscriber, and it often happens that several operators will attempt to answer the same call.

It is an object of this invention to prevent much of this confusion and to arrange the apparatus so that a first operator whichI will'call the main operator will have the iirst chance to answer the call, but that if before the same is answered other calls appear on heil switchboard which must be attended to, that upon a given `predetermined number of such calls appearing on the switchboard, controlling apparatus associated therewith will cause the signal lamps of the different lines to be displayed at the associated switch# board, and the operatorat Athe saidasso ciated switchboard will thereupon have' her attention directed toward these calls which have produced an over-load on the iirst or main switchboard,v and will thereupon answer some of these calls ducing this over-load'.

Referringto the figures, in Figure f1, I show two telephones connected to telephone 'lines leading from substations to an eX- a switchboard,`two only change, consisting of two switchboards, a main and an associated switchboard. The main `switchboard, contains an answering ,jack and a signal lamp for each ofthe lines,

the lamps being lightedin response to any call over either ofthe lines.

It will be understood that more than twov lines would ordinarily be provided for such being shown in the embodiment illustrated.

VSpecification of Letters Patent. Patented Spt. v 14', 1920i Application sied November i9, 1917. serial 110-1202748. t y

thereby re- At the associated `switchboard likewise jacksand signal lamps are provided-for each of thel lines, the lamps being 'arranged to operate however, onlyy when. .an over-load I occurs at the main switchboard. Thiswould be caused by-a'predetermined number of,

calling subscribers displaying their line'sigf nals at the main switchboard .at thefsame associated switchboard in response'to such time.l Marginal relay' apparat us is shown to control theoperati'on of the signalsl at the -V an overloaded condition at the main switchfl board.

Fig. 2 shows infgeneral the` saineapjpaL A ratus as Fig.'1, and in addition associated common controlling apparatus consisting of an interrupter and circuit connections to` cause this common interrupter to be'assol ciated with the signal lamps of such anoveri loadedswitchboard and ofthe signal lamps at the associated switchboard and corre-j sponding to the main switchboard'lamps, the same when operated producingy a fluttering of the lamps to indicate the over- V I loaded condition. h

In order to better understand the invention, I will now describe the same'referring' to the drawings and to reference characters placedthereon to designate the different parts. Y Y

Referring to Fig. '1, we will assume ythat the subscriber at A institutesv a call at the main switchboard by taking his receiver from the hook, and closing the hookswitch contactsv 2 Y at his` instrument'. This will cause the operation oftheline relay LR at the mainjswitchboardfwhich will close its contacts and operate the signal lampSA over the following circuit. From the ground pole of. battery, through the common exchange battery, the contacts 3 of the relay IIR, the signal lamp SA, circuitconductor 4, circuit conductor 5 whichfis common 4to aA plurality of'signal lamps, the common mar.-` ginal relay M, the common pilot relay P to the ground pole of battery.. The pilot relayv P will be operated lighting the pilotlampf PL inthe usual manner, but the Inargjnarlz relay M will not be energiied sufliciently ,toy overcome the power of the spring S, holding its armature innormal positionso that the contacts 6 in the circuit of the signal lamp SA2 will not be closed, and the signal lamp SA? will. not he operatedto display a sig Y oil;a relay CR 'of the lineciicuit. However,`v

nal. The signal lamp SA however, will display a signal.

The operator at the main switchboard would ordinarily answer ther callv land eX# tinguish the signal SA by operating the cutwe will assume that the operator being busy with answering other calls on lines not" shown in the figure, Vor in conversation with a subscriber on one of thesaidlines, does not have time to answer the signal displayed by thev lamp SA, and that at this time the subscriber B takes his receiver 'from the Athe electromagnet 01"' the marginal relay M to be energized to such adegree that it will attract its armature overpowering the spring S, and closing the contacts -G vleading' to the signal lamps SA2 and SB2 at the-associated switchboard. The closing of the contacts 6 will complete a circuit to operate these signal lamps from the ground pole ot battery through theV contacts 6, the circuit conductor 'l0 which is common to all rof the lamps on the associated switchboard which are extern sions of the lamps on the particular main switchboard having the marginal relay M, and from thence the circuit is divided, the path to battery including several branches; one of which includes the signal lamp SA2 and the other the` signal lamp SBfifrom circuit conductors 11 and l2 leading through relay contacts 23 and 28 to the negative pole of battery.

Thus the calls originating from substations A. and B and ,normally indicated by the'v lighting of 4signal lamps SA and SB at thel main switchboard are extended to the associated switchboard by the lighting of the signal lamps SA2 and S132, whose operative circuits havevjust been described. This occurs only when a predetermined number of lamps are lighted at the same time at a main switchboard thereby causing a sufficient cur.g rent to flow through the marginal relay M thereat; swered at either switchboard, and when enough of the calls have been answeredfto reduce the number remaining to a predetermined number, which may be one or morev than one, the marginal relay will again be released opening the circuits of the lam as at the associated switchboard; and lthe calls These calls may thereforebe` an-V will be konly indicated at the main' switch board. c n

New', referring to Fig. 2, which shows the same switchboard apparatus .and yarrangement oit-lamps and associated jacks `as llig. 1, at N is shown a marginal relay whose winding is included in` circuit with the common return conductor of the` signal lamps associated with a given group of lines and located on both switchboards. vThis marginal relay 'will be operated when a givei'i number of lamps aie lighted on the two switchboards in response to a predetermined number oi'gcalls which are unanswered on the main switchboard at the same time; When this' occurs the armature of the relay N will be attracted closing the contacts 12, and connecting, atl the vpoint 13 an intermittent shunt for all 'of the lamps at the two switchboards through the resistance coil R and the interrupter I to the negative pole of battery- Y c The circuit ust described is placed in multiple with the circuit leading throughr the lamps to the negative pole of battery, and as long as the armature of the marginal relay N is attracted, therefore the interrupter I will intermittently shunt the lamps on the two switchboardscausing them to flash in a characteristic manner. The flashing of. these lamps will notify the operators at the. two switchboards that the predetermined number of calls remaining unanswered atlthe main switchboard lhasV been exceeded, and notifying the associated switchboard operator that it is her duty to assist the main switchboard operator in the answering of these calls. lVhen the number of unanswered calls has been reduced to the predetermined number, the marginal relay 'N will ,brealr contacts 12 in releasing its armature and theA lamps will glow in a steady manner as before.

l wish it to be understood that kmany and numerous departures will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, and I do not wish to be therefore limited to the precise embodiments described therein, but what T claim as my inventionand wish to obtain Letters PatentA for, is defined inthe `following claims: 1. In a telephone system, the combination with a plurality of telephone lines leading by their limbsfrom substations to' an exchange, andV subscriber Voperated substation` matically responsive 155th@ Operation of more than a given number of line signals located* at the said iirstfnamed switchboard section, for operating -another signal for y each calling line at said second switchboard section.

2. In a telephone system, the combination with a plurality of telephone lines, a main switchboard and an associated switchboard, of sets of signal lamps at the main" switchboardand the associated switchboard, one lamp of each set being located 'at 4each switchboard, each 'of the said sets of signals fbeing individual to a particular telephone jline, and marginal controllingapparatus responsive to the number of signal lamps operated at the main lswitchboard to control, the operation of'the'signal a plurality of the said lines at the one ofV the said sections tocontrol-the operation of the signal lamps at another of the said switchboard sections.

4L. In a telephone system, the combination s with a main switchboard and an associated switchboard, of telephone lines terminating at each switchboard in multiple connection switches, of individual signal lamps at each switchboard for each'of the said connec-y tion switches, substation apparatus for each of the said lines to cause the operation of the said signal lamps, and common marginal controlling means responsive to the total number of signal lamps operated at any given time to change the character of the signal given by all ofthe said lamps Y for each line.

5. In a telephone system, the combination Y sections, of a plurality of telephone linesV terminating at each of the sections in multiple jacks, of signals individual to each of the lines associated with the said jacks, and common controlling mechanism responsive to the number of signal lamps at one time operated-to vary the character of their operation.

6. In a telephone system, the combination with a telephone switchboard divided intoA sections, each section containing multiple lamps and multiple jacks for a group of telephone lines, call initiating apparatus on each oi' the telephone lines, the said call initiating apparatus operating appara-tus individual to its line to cause the display of the associated call signal vat one of the switchboard sections, and a marginal relay,

to operate the other Asignals of fthe ,calling lines at-vthe other Q switchboardsections. l

the said linesV-beingdividedinto groups, of

i Vf3 responsive to a given iiow of'curr'ent there'- through, in circuit with a groupof the said. signal lamps fat the said svs'fitchboard secy tion, to cause' the simultaneous operation of a plurality of associated *switchboard lamps at anotherf switchboard section'. 5

being located'in each switchboard section,V and means responsive to'the operationfof more than, a Vpredetermined, numb'e'rf of vthe isaidsig'nals at the said' switchboardA 'section In a telephone system, the-combination A with a. plurality offftelephone lines, of substationinstrument'for each lin-e, linesignals for each linefu'iider thecontrol of its 175 substation instrument, a signal for each line *so v 8. In atelephone system, the combination with Va plurality of telephone 'lilies therefor,

signals individual to each-of the lines, and

means responsive totheactuationof'fmor'e than a predetermined 'number of -sa.i',d-'sig nals'of a group with whichy a calling lin'eis locatedV to control the actuation of the sig* nal of the saidcallingline. 'i 1 4 9.1n a telephonefsy'stem,the combination y Y with a plurality of telephonelines-leading lby their limbs from substations' to an eX- change, and subscriber `voperated substation calling apparatus for each of the said` lines, p of a plurality of signals individualtoeach of the'lines', afplurality of switchboardsections at the main'exchangeyone of the vsaid signals of eachjof` the `lines being located in ythe same switchboard section, a different switchboard section, -means responsive to the actuation of the telephone calling apparatus of a ,calling line to operate its said first signal, and controlling mechanism automatically responsive to the operation of more than a given number of line signals at the said. first-named switchboard section vvttor varying the indicating signals for each call-, ing line at said second switchboard section.-

l0. In a telephone system, the combination with a plurality of telephone lines, a main switchboard and an associated switchboard, of sets of signal lamps at the main switchboard and the associated switchboard,

main eXchange switchboard, a main and an auxiliary section for the saidswitchboard, one of the said multiple jacks being located at each switchboard section, yoi a signal @one of the said sections torvarythe charac- Aterfof operation of 'the signal lamps at an- Y other of the said switchboard sections.v Y

12. Ina telephone system, the combination with va main switchboard andan asso `ciated switchboard, of telephone lines terfminating' at each switchboard in multiple,

connection switches, of individual signal lamps at each switchboard for each of the said connection switches, substation appa- Iratus for each of the said lines to cause the `operation .ofv the said signal lamps, and common marginal controlling meansy responsive .tothe total numberof signal lamps operated at anygiventimefto vary the signal-lamps operated to 'indicate calling lines.

13. In a telephone system, the combination With a plurality of telephone lines, .of

a line relay for each of the lines, substation apparatus controlling the said line relay, a signal under the control of each line relay, anda common mechanism under the control of the line relays VVof 4va group of lines for altering the character of signal given by the said line signals.v Y

14. In a telephone system, the combination with a plurality of telephone lines, of a line relay for each of the lines, substation 4apparatus controlling the said line relay, a signal under the control of each line relay, and a Vcommon mechanism under the control 15.' In a telephone system, the combina-v tion 'with a group of telephone lines, Ofiline signals for each of the lines,linerelays.for voperating the said line signals, substation apparatus for operating the said line relays,

common mechanism under the control of the said line relays, additional signals for each of the lines, and means responsive totheY actuation of the said commonV mechanism under the control of a predetermined num` ,Y

ber of operated line relays to vary the character of signal' given by the said linefsignals.

A16. In a telephone system, the combina-iy tion with a group of telephone lines,xof line signals for each of the lines, line relays lfor l .A

operatingl the said line,V signals, substation apparatus for operating the said line relays, common mechanism under the control of the said line relays, additional signals for each of the lines, and means responsive to Y 

